Backyard Sports Goes Long With All-New Football Game 'Rookie Rush' Hitting Retail This October

NEW YORK, July 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Go long!  Atari, one of the world's most recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment, charges onto the field with the all-new football videogame Backyard Sports®: Rookie Rush shipping October 26, 2010 for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii™, Nintendo DS™, as well as a downloadable version for Windows PC.  Backyard Sports: Rookie Rush marks the second title released featuring the new look and feel of the Backyard Sports franchise – which represents the best-selling kids sports videogame series of all time.  With hard hitting power-ups, imaginative new fields, stylized graphics, exciting new array of super-charged gameplay options and a compelling story mode, Rookie Rush is well trained and ready to take down the competition this October.  

Backyard Sports: Rookie Rush comes on the heels of Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers which launched a whole new ball game for the Backyard Sports franchise. The fresh new look and gameplay experience for the brand introduced in Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers has been met with triumphant critical acclaim including 4 out of 4 stars from USA Today and 5 out of 5 stars from top children's technology review site, Common Sense Media.  Consumers were equally excited as Sandlot Sluggers hit it out of the park at retail.

Backyard Sports: Rookie Rush offers kids the opportunity to get in the huddle with fan-favorite characters Pablo, Dmitri, and Joey as they block and tackle their way through energetic, kid-friendly football games on 12 interactive, neighborhood fields, many representing each character's home turf and also a "My Backyard" field mode in which players can unlock items and populate their unique backyard.  Kids can play pick-up football games with their Backyard Sports neighborhood friends in both single game and tournament options, or play the game in Backyard Sports' inventive new story mode. The Backyard Sports: Rookie Rush storyline centers on the Backyard kids who must come to terms with the new kid on the block, combine their unique talents, overcome egos and the odds in order to win a tournament and a big grand prize.

To pump up the action even further, Backyard Sports: Rookie Rush features super-charged power-ups such as Banana Peels, Deep Freeze and Leap Frog, 5 new mini games including Sack Attack and Target Practice, unique character customization options, and a family mode, making this an exciting gameplay experience for all ages.  The updated graphics and striking visuals create a stunning re-imagination of Backyard Sports: Rookie Rush which is sure to impress kids and parents alike.

"The re-imagined vision for Sandlot Sluggers has proven to be a hit for critics, parents, and kids seeking a fun, dynamic and action packed videogame," said Jim Wilson, President of Atari.  "Backyard Sports: Rookie Rush continues the successful evolution of our Backyard Sports series, offering a truly enriching sports videogame for kids of all ages."

Allowing kids to learn and follow traditional football rules in a wholesome gaming environment, Backyard Sports: Rookie Rush will carry a suggested retail price of $29.99 and is developed by HB Studios for Xbox 360 and Wii™ and developed by Powerhead Games for Nintendo DS™.

For more information, please log onto www.atari.com.

ABOUT ATARI, SA

Atari group is a global creator, producer and publisher of interactive entertainment for key platforms, including online (casual, social, MMO), PC, consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, and advanced smart phones (i.e. iPhone, Android and RIM devices).  

Atari benefits from the strength of its worldwide brand and its extensive catalogue of iconic game franchises (Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command®, Lunar Lander®), original owned franchises (Test Drive®, Backyard Sports®, Deer Hunter®, Champions Online) and third party franchises (Ghostbusters®, Rollercoaster Tycoon®, Dungeons and Dragons®, Star Trek).  

To play games and get other information please visit www.atari.com  

© 2010 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved.

Atari word mark and logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc.

ABOUT HB STUDIOS

Headquartered in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada, HB Studios Multimedia Limited specializes in sports video games for home console, handheld, and PC systems.  Established in 2000, HB Studios has shipped 26 titles with over 187 different SKU's including THQ's Big Beach Sports, EA Sports Rugby, EA Sports Cricket and Konami's Rock Revolution as well as versions of EA Sports' FIFA, NBA Live, NHL, FIFA Street, Tiger Woods PGA Tour and Madden NFL. To date HB's global sales have reached over 13.5 million units.

About Powerhead Games

Headquartered in New York City, Powerhead Games develops video games for console, handheld, mobile, and PC systems. Established in 2000, Powerhead Games has shipped over 20 titles, including Catz, CSI: Dark Motives, and Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers. In 2010 Powerhead Games received the Independent Games Festival award for Best Mobile Game Design for their self-published game, Glow Artisan.

SOURCE Atari